Swells Hitting Haumoana Worst in 12 Years

Police have advised residents of 21 houses on Haumoana’s waterfront and houses at Ocean Beach to self-evacuate.

Hastings District Council has been monitoring high swells along the coast over the weekend but has now activated its Emergency Management Operations as the swells build.

Swells hitting the beachfront houses are between three and 5.5m and locals have reported one wave was higher than a house.

Senior Sergeant Ross Smith says members of the public need to stay well away from beaches right along the Hawke’s Bay coastline.

“We’ve got a road block on Ocean Beach Road to keep sightseers out of there and we are asking people to stay away from low-lying waterways,” Senior Sergeant Smith says.

“Coastal residents are well practiced at reacting to high swells but even they are saying this is the worst they’ve seen in 12 years.”

There is debris washing onto Clifton Rd at Haumoana and the road to the Clifton Motorcamp at the other end of the settlement has seen some erosion.

MetService says the swell should recede over the next few days.

Other beaches potentially affected are Waipatiki, Whirinaki, Te Awanga, Clifton, Ocean Beach and Waimarama and police have advised that if residents feel they are at risk they should self-evacuate.